Chitchat thread #24

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Well, I've woken up in a good mood again. Digger man coming this afternoon again to clear the trees I was originally planning to uproot. Then one more session required to do Mr Snoop's stuff. Might have to wait as rain is coming. Lots. Glad I got my stuff done first! Poor Mr Snoop...

We had the range on last night and my sourdough starter sprang into life as the temperature rose. So all good there too.

And I've had two cups of tea and a cup of coffee and not had to make a single one. Poor Mr Snoop...

Other plans for the day. Finish off some work and then clear the tomato plants in readiness for some overwintering onions to go in.

The smiles definitely perked up at the idea of parkin but I told them to have another think. I've still got half a chocolate cake in the freezer that needs using up first. And the longer it stays there, the longer it'll be before I bake anything else. That said, I will need something as a gift next week... Anyway, the smiles set off north. I imagine they've already stopped in at Nicos's before heading on.

Have a great day everyone.

[greenishfing]

It's very rare that I am cold outdoors in Winter thanks to my trusty padded ski trousers and mitts. I have two pairs of the trousers, one pair that fits and another larger pair that I can put on on top of jeans at the allotment. I can also kneel in them without getting wet and muddy knees.
Just done a lateral flow test and waiting the half hour for a result before going care home visiting. I got a phone call last night to say the in-law had fallen again, but not badly. I am sure my husband and her will be comparing wounds today.
There was what looked suspiciously like a coating of frost on the car roof this morning, but at least it is bright and sunny at the moment.

[bramble]

Good morning all.
A lovely bright sunny morning but it's only 4 degs.
Had a phone call this morning to say my left handed golf club has arrived so I will drive out to collect it.
We need anewlightforthekithen so we will pop into B & Q while we are out.
Hopefully a bit of time to spend in the garden this afternoon.
Have a good day all,

[mothhawk]

Afternoon all.

There was a light frost early this morning but the sun soon shifted it. Had to wait in for the boiler man who came to service the boiler and gas fire, so missed what would have been a lovely sunny morning walk, but my brother also came to visit my Mum, and I would have missed him if I HAD gone for a walk, so it all comes good in the end

I'm thinking of moving the rhubarb into the spot where the dalek is now, shifting the dalek to where my spare bee boxes are, and the boxes to the rhubarb's old spot. It will mean the rhubarb has more room and won't be flopping over the path as it does now, the dalek will be next to it, and so feed it a bit, and the boxes will be more easily accessible. Why didn't I think of this before? it seems such an obvious plan.

[Nicos]

Anyway, the smiles set off north. I imagine they've already stopped in at Nicos's before heading on.

Well something has been cutting chunks out of my parkin!

I’ve been out most of the day and I’m sure my OH couldn’t possibly have munched his way through the chunk which is missing

On second thoughts…he says he’s not very hungry …hmmmm….

[nick the grief]

not had Parkin for years ... My nan used to make it when I went over to stay with her years ago ...lovely stuff

[rary]

Good evening, some shopping with this morning then out to the garden, sorted a gate first than shifted some barrow loads of chips, once they were cleared I removed a fence then had to lift out a sleeper which was a bit on the heavy side and I now have a sore shoulder and back, but won't be telling OH as she would start going on like the toothache about not doing these things, women (wives) are so impractical at times, tomorrow if its dry I hope get the rest of the soil shifted then I can see about straitening up the wooden retaining wall, I will need to give a bit of thought on how to tackle that, hopefully by tomorrow I will have thought of something. Enjoy your evening keep safe and smile, it will help you feel better. Goodnight

[Snoop Puss]

Well something has been cutting chunks out of my parkin!

I’ve been out most of the day and I’m sure my OH couldn’t possibly have munched his way through the chunk which is missing

On second thoughts…he says he’s not very hungry …hmmmm….

Mr Snoop says he definitely wants some parkin soon...

[greenishfing]

I made parkin last year for the first time in decades. I used a recipe from one of my sisters. Obviously NOT the right recipe. One of my grandmothers had an amazing recipe. I still don't know which one, just that it wasn't the recipe I used. We did eat most of it and the birds had the remnants but I remember the gorgeous sticky parkin of my childhood. I might have to ask both my sisters who are holding on tightly to the old family recipes to have another look.
We had our Care Home visit this morning. The in-law in there kept telling us that all the Winter clothes we took her last week had been stolen. She was absolutely convinced and even I was semi- convinced until I opened her wardrobe door. When I showed her the clothes we had brought she agreed with me that they were there but five minutes later we started the whole conversation again. I am no expert on this but the staff had simply marked her clothes with her name and put them in her wardrobe for her and it upsets me to think that maybe people could be accused wrongly of theft. The scary thing is she intends to get her revenge on the " thieves ".
We did the Grory hop this afternoon and are now well stocked up again including fresh cream, which was temporarily unavailable last week.

[Nicos]

Gf - I understand thoroughly what you have experienced. I have had my mother, my mil and my OHs elderly aunt struggling with various forms of dementia and age related memory loss.
The problem is that when they are fully lucid what they say is utterly convincing but can be based on false memories.
It’s very hard on the accused and therefore everything has to be documented and whiter than white….otherwise these false misunderstandings can be quite convincing to others and upsetting for them.
You have to realise they are not being their real selves but trying to cope with strange , jumbled recollections. It’s actually quite scarey for them and they feel in control by sharing these thoughts.
Its a difficult and heartbreaking experience for all concerned - I sympathise xx

[greenishfing]

Good morning everybody. Cold and wet here at the moment. I woke up at 6am the first time and slid out of bed to turn the central heating up. I've dozed off and on since then but eventually the call of the first coffee of the day drowned out any other thoughts and I'm now drinking coffee and looking out at a grey, wet world. If it dries up a bit I think I'll visit the allotment later.

[mothhawk]

Good morning all.
No wet here, cold but not frosty. Grory Hop C&C a bit later. C&C is so handy, I may never enter a supermarket again.
I've never made parkin, I must give it a try. I have quite a few recipes in various recipe books to compare and combine.

Nicos, those are very wise words about older people forgetting and remembering wrongly.

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Thanks MH…all too common now I’m afraid when people tend to be living to much greater ages.
I also think there is sometimes a pride aspect too- trying to cover up for misunderstood/ misrecalled events.
I was only discussing with my OH a couple of days ago when we were talking about our deceased relatives on All Souls Day that all my grandparents had died when I was a teenager or in my early 20s.
Our children’s grandparents lived on an extra 15- 20 years
Its lovely they had more chance to get to know them as adults, but that does come with the increased frailty / memory loss often involved with a longer life span and those complications.

So - moving onto less profound thoughts….

Kettle’s on - anyone fancy a brew?
The expected frost this morning didn’t appear - but the house was lovely and toasty as I’d put a couple more logs on the fire at 4am.

We’ve ordered replacement all season tyres for the camper so I’m hoping those will be fitted later this week. Interestingly the winter tyres ( M&S - mud and snow ) are being replaced by M&S / 3PMSF ( 3 Peak Mountain Snow Flake ) for greater safety so we’re going with those .
Just letting Snadge know if he needs to replace his campervan tyres and any of you needing winter tyres.

No idea what I’m doing today … no doubt OH will find something for me to do…he does keep mentioning about stacking wood, and it is dry and sunny at the moment….

[Bren In Pots]

Morning its just stopped raining here

I do that with recipes Mothhawk opening 4 or 5 books / links then pick the bits I like from each to make my final recipe. For plain baking my favourite is still the Be-Ro book never had a failure from that tatty old book.

Enjoy your day.

[Nicos]

^^^^ I do that too , often because I don’t always have all the ingredients!